The Delicate Balance
by RedRogue
Summary: WRITTEN TO PROMOTE NEW STAR WARS SHORT FILM COMING SOON! They were Younglings together, then Padawans together, now he wants to be something more. It is not the Jedi Way. Love is a fear to lose, which is a path to the Dark Side... right? [Set in the Jedi Academy just before Order 66, OC/OC]
1. Chapter 1: The Initiate

**A/N: This story was written as a prequel novel to promote a new Star Wars fan film coming out on YouTube called "The Age of the Empire", which will be wrapping production very soon. Please 'like' us on Facebook to get the news first when it drops. Trailer coming soon!**

 **Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy.**

 **Chapter 1: The Initiate**

 **~RR~**

She remembered the darkness. In all its sullenness, it's hopelessness. She could feel the presence of death, even though she could not see it. She felt ashamed of hiding, when she didn't check to see if the others were right behind her.

Zera was told to hide, so she did.

The dirt was cold around her, but soft. It was all she could feel under her hand. The dust reached her nose, but she dared not allow a sneeze until she was sure. Even after the silence overtook her ears, she couldn't bring herself to leave her hiding place.

She was told to hide. It was the last thing they had said.

A part of her couldn't accept that they were gone. Her tribe was all she had known. Their culture, their traditions, their honor. Parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins… Slaughtered in a single night, in a matter of hours. They were not trained fighters, they were a spiritual race, in tune with their planet and its nature. They were considered savage, expendable… merely animals.

Then the ships descended and they were all taken as slaves or murdered.

They told her to hide, so she did. She now realized, as the stranger came for her in the cave with the sound of clinking chains in his hands, that it was all useless. They found her anyway.

 **~RR~**

He remembered the rain.

Tallen's home planet was a never-ending onslaught of thunderstorms. Cold and chilling to the bone, making his mother's shawl soaked and dripping on him as he walked close behind her. He remembered the stone road, carved into a perfect path into the night. He remembered his huge, bearded father, and the grim and stoic look in his face.

They had been rich once, one of the wealthiest families on the planet. It was a life that seemed so far behind now. On the day they had lost everything, his mother had grabbed him by the shoulders and stared him right in the eye with a serious promise.

"Everything will be fine," she assured him. "Just so long as we are together, we will be okay. We are what's important. Not anything else this world can offer matters. Love, and the people who love you- it's all you can take with you when you die. You and I. Remember that."

He never forgot a word.

They had gone out for dinner that night, something they hadn't been able to afford for a very long time. His parents had claimed that it was a special occasion for it, but wouldn't say what the occasion was, just looked grimly at one another as they made shallow conversation.

When they neared the end of the long walk back home, Tallen saw the tall, dark, slender figure at their door before his parents did. He immediately sensed to distrust him, to be on alert, his hair prickling at the back of his neck.

There was always rain, but this night was different. The rain was heavier, the thunder louder.

"Who is that?" Tallen asked pointing to the slender figure waiting for them at the top of the stairs. His mother seemed distraught at once.

"Forren, he's so early, can't he come back later?" she asked his father, but she seemed to already know his answer.

"Remember what I told you, Elda," his father had spoken with a hiss of authority to his mother. "Be cold."

"Mom?" Tallen looked up to his mother for answers, but they wouldn't come. "What's going on? Who is that?"

The alien started to walk toward him eerily slow, the rubber texture of his skin reflecting against the lighting flashes. Tallen's mother dropped to one knee and unwrapped her shawl from around herself, putting it onto his shoulders for warmth.

"Isn't it wonderful, Tallen?" his mother feigned happiness, even though tears poured from her eyes. "You've been accepted into the Jedi Academy, isn't that amazing? You are very lucky…"

"Are you coming too?" Tallen asked with all of a child's naivety. His mother shook her head, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, I'm afraid you'll have to go alone."

"I don't want to go," Tallen replied without hesitation. "I want to stay with you and dad."

His mother put a hand to her mouth to ease her crying, but his father grabbed her before she could make it in for a hug.

"Elda, please, for the good of the boy," his father scolded. His mother straightened and took a deep, brave breath.

"Tallen," his mother wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "The truth of it is, we can't afford to keep you anymore."

"I find a way to work! I'll do extra chores! I'll do anything, just don't make me leave you!"

"The decision has been made," his father informed him. "Eventually you will understand what an honor this is."

"I don't care about honor!"

"You don't have a choice, Tallen," his father replied sullenly, dragging his mother away as she sobbed openly. "We should have given you up years ago when they first discovered it. You were never really ours."

His father nodded at the slender green alien, and its slimy fingers took the signal touched Tallen's shoulder. Tallen felt his heart surge with fear and dismay.

"No! I don't want to go!" Tallen insisted, screaming back to his parents who were entering the house without looking back. He was already being dragged away into a waiting convoy. "I don't want to GO! NO! LET GO OF ME! I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

Through his terror, something else burned in his chest. He felt the energy swell and churn inside of him, screaming to be let out.

With a jerk of his head back, Tallen yelled out with all his might, letting the power out of him, pushing the alien back along with everything else within a five meter radius. It felt good, like he had been building up to this moment his entire life, just waiting to be freed.

It was the last thought he had before the stun ray hit him in the back.

 **~RR~**

Zera had trouble sleeping when they first brought her to the academy. The beds were too soft, as she was used to sleeping on the floor, usually with one eye open for intruders in her room. It was going to take a while to convince herself that there would be no late-night visitors to cause her harm any longer.

Just as she just about convinced herself of this, she bolted upright when her heard a strange sound in the darkness, of footsteps outside her door. Being naturally curious and not thinking much of the consequences at her young age, she darted from her bed to go investigate. From her window, she could see a small boy about her age darting across the courtyard, carrying a pack on his arm. She watched as he ran full speed to the front gates, then slamming against the door with all his might. He tried to push, he tried to pull, she even thought she saw a little bit of energy burst from his fingers to aid his task, but no luck, the door was solid against a 7 year old youngling.

The next night, the boy came with a tool, trying to pick the lock of the door, still without success.

The third night, he had made a rope from bedding and tried his best to hook it around a tree sticking out over the wall. The branches crumbled under his weight, when could manage to hook anything after a thousand attempts.

Finally giving up, the boy crumbled to the floor, leaning his head on the massive wooden gate and allowing himself to cry.

Zera gathered her robes at once, and snuck out to meet the fellow student at the gate. She knew him immediately, his face familiar when he had been recruited, when they brought him to the main hall kicking and screaming, not long after they had introduced her to the Council herself.

"Tallen?" Zera knelt down about a meter away from him, in case he proved as violent as he had been earlier. The boy looked up to her with anger in his eyes. Zera frowned, commiserating with him.

"I miss my family as well," she admitted, sensing his grief.

"They take you away from them too?" Tallen asked. Zera shook her head.

"No. They're dead."

Zera inched closer, and Tallen recoiled suspiciously. Slowly, Zera reached out to him, laying her hand over his warmly.

"Maybe we can be each other's family now."

Tallen looked to her with surprise, but after a moment, let a small, encouraged grin break through.

 **~RR~**

Zera fiddled with her Padawan braid in her fingers, curious at its strange presence in her hair. It would take some getting used to, as would everything in this strange place they called the Jedi temple. Young students of all species had been with her, as they were inducted into the academy. Strangers would come to her and shake her hand, congratulating her on scoring such an amazing teacher as Master Windu. Everyone seemed to revere him, to know his name. It was strange to think of a time she did not, and she didn't know why that dire night was springing to mind in this very moment.

Only two were allowed to enter the inner temple that day. She was grateful to be one of them, as several dozens of other children were turned away. After the Initiate Trials, she had been finally chosen to be a Padawan Learner.

Zera turned to the other chosen Padawan, who had been adopted by a Master Koon. The boy wasn't much taller than herself, his hair dark as the night, with sharp facial structure and eyes the color of an ocean. He seemed very serious, perhaps even angered.

"I was supposed to learn under Master Windu," he hissed at her out of the corner of his mouth. "I had been working toward this moment for years, and you came along and ruined it."

Zera didn't know how to respond, and was taken aback for a moment. She peered at him with curiousness.

"Calm yourself, Padawan," she replied calmly. "Perhaps you just did not prove yourself worthy."

They glared at one another before the boy's smile broke through, and she returned it in kind. Suddenly he burst into laughter, grabbing at her in a firm embrace, fondly teetering upon one another in the moment.

"It's so good to see you, Zera!" he huffed excitedly, patting her shoulder. "Seems like an eternity since I last saw you!"

"Tallen, it's been a month! I should've have known I'd see you here today too!" Zera replied, rubbing his back. "And here I thought I'd finally be rid of you!"

"I guess we're just destined not to be apart!" Tallen joked, hitting her arm good-naturedly.

As their Masters and the rest of the Council entered the room to formally sanction their transition into their new roles as Padawan Learners, Tallen came close to her and held her by the shoulders, showing the Council their unified front.

Master Windu stood before them, hands folded in front of himself. Zera was inwardly grateful that he not only found her to be a faithful student, but that he had rescued her from a life of slavery when she was only 7 years old. She had spent her whole life being grateful to him, and hoping to live up to the standard he set.

"It seems the strangest thing," Master Windu mused. "You both come from opposite ends of the star system, yet were enrolled on the same day, happened into the same clan, assigned to same dorm floor, and now this."

Tallen shook her excitedly, and she couldn't hold back her proud grin.

"A rare gift, you have been granted," Master Yoda agreed. "To have a friend you can trust! Use it to your advantage, you should, when the rank of Master, you are granted."

"For now," Master Windu went on. "You must say goodbye at last to one another, and hand yourself over to your new Masters, and remember to not bring any attachments with you."

Zera quickly stepped away from Tallen's reach, not wanting to give a bad impression to their new Masters. Even if their attachment was purely platonic, the Masters may still see it as a potential downfall, thus a potential weakness. Tallen seemed a little confused, but let it go.

"Get a good night's rest Padawans," Master Koon instructed. "For your training begins at dawn. Maybe the Force be with you."

The pair nodded, and took a final glance at one another. They had said their goodbyes already before even being selected, it seemed strange to do them again. Zera held out her hand politely, and Tallen sneered at it with distaste. He took the hint, though, and shook her hand back.

"Until we meet again, Vox," he threw in. Zera nodded agreeably.

 **~RR~**

 **Please review.  
Signed,  
-RedRogue**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Misunderstanding

**Chapter 2: The Misunderstanding**

 **~RR~**

Tallen wandered the massive, domed halls of the temple with Anakin, as he stepped with him out the arched doorways into the sunlight. It was the only class in the entire week's schedule that he had without Zera, and it was only because it was purely for boys and their code of conduct as 'gentleman'. She was in a similar class at the time for girls. It was his least favorite part of the week.

"I don't even understand why we even have to take that class," Tallen complained as he did every week. "Not all of us aspire to seats on the Council."

Anakin stopped and took out a flashing comm device.

"That would be Obi Wan. I have to go see what he wants. Say hi to Zera for me."

"Who said I was going-?"

"You really want to try that?" Anakin smiled. "You two practically have your braids intertwined."

Tallen was taken aback at this and didn't know what to say, and Anakin gave a slight wave and ran off.

Tallen stopped for a moment to consider his words. Was he really that predictable? What did it matter if he was going to see Zera? It was common knowledge she was like a sister to him, always had been. Was that not normal? No one had ever questioned it before… Was it unusual?

As he continued his walk through the courtyard, he spotted two schoolmates, friends of his, walking together. Darden and Shem, two boys, a year younger. They had also been inseparable since they arrived. What was wrong with wanting to spend all your time with your best friend?

Tallen arrived at the sparring wing, where Zera and him would meet to practice swordplay using the training sabers. It was a tradition they had upheld for several years.

Today, he hesitated to go inside, and instead watched her through a window, feeling strangely bothered. He watched her practice her stances. She always favored lightsaber training over all their other lessons. Tallen was more interested in astronomy and geography, but her, she was always hopping around on her toes like a dancer, watching herself in the mirror to make sure she had her pose just right. Tallen knew her well enough to realize that this was a result of a desire to not end up like her family, wanting to be the best Jedi fighter so that the same fate could never befall her or anyone else again. But it was so short-sighted.

During study time, he would be scanning through holo-maps in the library, yearning for the outside world, and she was shifting through tablets to find that fencing book everyone else had overlooked. Tallen looked at the stars and new the world was so much bigger than that. Out there, they could be anything they wanted. Have adventures and explore the galaxy on their own terms.

Tallen wondered if her goal was to ever leave this place, like he dreamed every day, or stay put forever and eventually try be a Master in the Council. He was barely thirteen, and had never really thought about what happened after they outgrew their Padawan status.

He finally entered the studio and went straight for the training sabers.

"Hi, Tallen!" Zera called out brightly. "How was your lesson?"

Tallen distracted himself by carefully selecting his weapon, trying his best to find the one that had the least amount of wear and tear on it.

"Zera, Anakin said something just a moment ago that bothered me."

Zera lowered her arm from her current stance, and gave him her full attention.

"He insinuated," Tallen went on. "Very strongly, that it was strange that we couldn't be found apart from each other. Why would that even be a concern?"

"I've had it mentioned to me before as well," Zera admitted. "Apparently, it's unusual for a female to be so close of friends with a male. Pay no attention. They just don't understand."

"I thought the Jedi preach to be above gossip and whispers," Tallen grinned, tipping his lightsaber up towards her to begin a match. The saber hummed gently and the green glow lit her face.

"That might be," Zera replied, doing the same with her own sword. "But we are all still learning."

 **~RR~**

Zera walked happily besides Tallen as they went on a field trip to shop for Temple groceries, as their class was rotated to do twice a month. They each had their own lists, and Tallen and herself always seemed to land on fruits and vegetables. Master Yarael Poof stood at the far end of the market, supervising with his tall, long neck over the heads all of the younglings until their time was finished.

Zera grabbed a bag and got to immediate work, while Tallen goofed off as usual, subtly tossing small berries at her with laughter. Zera couldn't contain her laughter, but feared being caught, and finally waved at him to cease fire.

Nearby, Zera noticed a loudly giggling couple, a dark human male and bright pink alien female, holding one another as they glanced over an array of flowers. They were obviously mates, but Zera thought it curious the way they acted with one another, as if courting even though they were already matched together.

When they put their mouths close, and then connected them, Zera tugged on Tallen's sleeve.

"Tallen, look!" she whispered, and pointed. Tallen looked up, then crinkled his nose in disgust.

"Ew, gross."

"Why do they do that?" Zera asked. Tallen looked at her with surprise.

"You've never seen anyone kiss before?" Tallen sputtered with surprise. "They don't have that on your planet?"

Zera shook her head. Tallen frowned.

"Humans and humanoids, they do that when they like each other. Why, what does your species do?"

"Usually a gift or a gesture of sorts," Zera scrunched her nose, but still couldn't tear her eyes away. "Nothing like that. It's hardly sanitary."

"That's what _I'm_ saying!" Tallen agreed, hitting her shoulder enthusiastically.

Suddenly, Zera grabbed Tallen by the collar and pecked him on the mouth. Anakin let out a surprised hoot nearby and ran to come closer. Before Tallen realized what was happening, it was already over.

Zera shook her head, still not understanding the benefit, and wiped her mouth at the foreign sensation. Tallen scrubbed the back of his hand across his lips, mortified and a little annoyed. Anakin burst out laughing, sensing the situation before either of them said anything.

"Zera," Tallen sputtered. "What-what'd you do _THAT_ for?"

Zera was taken aback, recognizing she had done something wrong. Her heart froze in alarm.

"You said people did that when they liked each other. I am very fond of you…"

Anakin bit his lower lip to contain his laughter, now having a full grasp on the situation, but helped them in looking around to see if anyone else had noticed their little scene. Only Shem seemed to, and was already making his way over.

"Zera," Anakin explained with great amusement in his voice. "I don't think Tallen quite emphasized enough on how that is a _romantic_ gesture for couples who _love_ each other, not just like… and is definitely forbidden by the Order. Thank goodness no one else saw you."

Shem elbowed Anakin and they shared a stifled chuckle together, but Tallen was not amused. Tallen pointed a scolding finger sharply at Zera, and spoke with his teeth gritted in anger.

"Don't _ever_ do that again," Tallen warned, ears hot with embarrassment, then stalked off elsewhere by himself.

Zera hid her face in shame, comprehending the fact that she had misjudged something terribly.

 **~RR~**

Tallen then avoided her like the plague for days. Anytime they had a class together he would direct his gaze elsewhere. If she tried to approach him, he would only speak to someone else before making an excuse to leave. Zera let him have his space for a while, but after a week had gone by of nothing, Zera grew frustrated at not having the opportunity to remedy the situation, to fix their friendship, but rather he went on pretending the she didn't exist.

Finally, after two weeks of this, Zera managed to corner him as he left his final class for the day.

"Tallen!" she called out, and he looked panicked and seemed to be searching for an escape route. Zera used the Force to plant his feet long enough to catch up to him.

"Zera, let me go!" he snapped viciously, but Zera would not. She ran to face him, angrily getting into his face.

"I will let you run away in a moment, if that's what you feel you must!" Zera practically shouted. "However, we must speak of what you will not say to me."

She released Tallen slowly and he fixed his pants indignantly. He remained silent, but didn't try to run off again.

"I am truly sorry for our misunderstanding in the market. I am your friend, Tallen. I beg of you to not hold this against me."

Tallen still didn't respond for many moments, but rather kept his gaze to the distance, thoughtfully.

"You want to go get some breakfast?" he asked gently. Zera nodded in agreement, not being able to help her large smile breaking through.

 **~RR~**

 **Please review.  
Signed,  
-RedRogue**


	3. Chapter 3: The Gamble

**Chapter 3: The Gamble**

 **~RR~**

 _ **SOME YEARS LATER:**_

Tallen hopped a little in his stance in anticipation. One of the Jedi Council members, Agen Kolar, eyed him suspiciously, so Tallen did his best to calm himself.

He hadn't seen Zera in weeks. It felt like ages. Too long to be away from your family.

There was so much to catch her up on, and he couldn't wait to hear about what she had been up to. The last mission with Master Windu had been extra long, especially considering that Master Windu didn't take many missions on for himself as Head of the High Council. Zera was supposed to be due any minute now, but perhaps the transport had been delayed? Perhaps someone had misinterpreted the transmission?

But no, there was the transport now, as it came up the lightrail to the Jedi Temple. The metal doors could not open fast enough.

It was likely Zera had been just as ready to see him too, as she was the first to exit the transport, even pushing past others to get to him as fast as she could. She was a sight for sore eyes, her curtain of dark black hair flailing behind her as she ran to him, a smile on her pale, spotted face.

"Hello again, Pointy-Ears!" he called out tauntingly.

She almost knocked him over as she threw her arms around him in a fond embrace. Several more High Council members gave them judgmental eyebrows, but Tallen didn't care. He was just happy to see his friend.

"There's so much to tell you," Tallen gushed excitedly. "Shem broke his nose in a spar yesterday, oh, and those Clawbird eggs hatched."

"They did?! Oh, I can't wait to see the little babies!"

"Zera," he heard a voice from behind them say. They turned to see Master Windu, his gaze more stern than ever. "Come, we must first debrief the Council of our exploits."

Zera nodded quickly and frowned to Tallen sorrowfully.

"Talk later?" she promised.

"Of course!"

Tallen watched her leave with a large grin on his face, his heart bursting with the fondness of seeing his dearest friend and he couldn't hide it a moment more.

"Tallen, I'd advise you again try to contain yourself," Master Koon warned. "Your beaming expression reveals too much of your thoughts."

"I thought you said that our bond was a beautiful thing, Master," Tallen answered in Basic with genuine confusion.

"My view is one opinion," Master Koon admitted. "Admittedly, I am not so clear on how human relationships go. I advise to not press your luck with the Jedi Council or they may see fit to keep you two apart."

"Have we already been mentioned?" Tallen asked with concern. Master Koon only looked ahead, not giving a response.

Tallen looked back to where Zera had gone, going breathless for a moment in the thought of being without her. The thought was unspeakably terrible, one he had never thought possible before. Of course, he had never thought a relationship more than friendship was possible either.

He had thought about that day in the market when she kissed him. It had been light and quick, like a finger tapping a table. He knew immediately that he would never be the same with her from then on, no matter how he tried. At first, he thought it was the most disgusting, terrible thing that had ever happened to him. Then it became something he accepted, an extra layer their relationship, a barrier that had been broken through to reach a stronger level of friendship. Then, eventually, it had ignited something more inside of him. He replayed it like recorded transmission in his head, all the time.

Who could blame him? She was considered to be very beautiful. In sparring matches, he loved to watch how elegantly her body moved and she was often complimented by the Masters for her near-perfect form. She was also his oldest friend, who understood him best in this entire universe. If there was anyone he would choose to be romantic with, given that option, she was a clear winner. He was only human. He was allowed to dream, to play with the idea, so long as he never acted upon it. For many years, this had suited him fine.

He just had to remember to never take it too far.

Tallen felt a grin break through against his will. Surely, Master Koon was overreacting at all this. Surely, the Council wouldn't react in such a harsh way- How could they? Surely, he hadn't been the first, and he was certainly not going to be the last, with this sort of issue.

 **~RR~**

He searched for her at dinner, bowl of hot squeebs in hand and fresh Bantha milk in the other, knowing that a seat for him was already reserved. He spotted her near the back windows today, sitting near their friends, Anakin, who recently seemed quite the celebrity Padawan around these parts, and Furlor-ah, a Twi-lek whom many boys had eyes on when they made public trips. Shem sat nearby but was quiet, as he usually was.

Tallen took pride that he had a seat among what was considered the 'hierarchy' of the Padawan level, and sometimes let his arrogance show to those less fortunate in their favor.

Tallen looked at Zera with a fond smile as he sat down, digging into his food with a sense of comfort. This was home, and he was quite content amongst his friends. Not a day passed where he wasn't grateful to all of their presences in his life. He hadn't dwelled on it much, but now as he and the rest of his class were reaching the end of their teen years, he was started to realize certain truths he had been taking for granted.

"I'm telling you, that ship moved and I moved it myself," Anakin maintained, stabbing his two prong fork into his food with resolve. "Just ask Master Koda. None of you can tell me different because you weren't there."

"Your story is flawed," Zera shook a knife insistently. "Master Koda never returns from field work. Everyone knows that."

Tallen laughed and shook his head as young Anakin went on insisting the merit of his tale. While the others were distracted in conversation, he let himself stare at Zera's shape next to him. Traditional Jedi robes purposefully kept them modest, but his young mind ran rampant with imagining. She was truly lovely in an elegant sort of way. A sort of regality about her, as if she was a fair but strict ruler once in some distant life.

"Tallen?" Zera spoke with a look out of the corner of her eye. "What is it?"

"Sorry," Tallen concentrated quickly back on his food, then let that mischievous grin break through his lips. "Perhaps it was the time apart, but I can't help but comment on how stunning you look today."

An immediate hush fell over the table. A few exchanged glances with one another uncomfortably. Tallen remained intrepid. He didn't care that everyone shifted in their seats, in fact, it gave him a small thrill. He leaned closer to her, and she seemed to freeze at his proximity.

"Um," Zera looked alarmed and couldn't meet his gaze. "Thank you…"

Anakin snickered, throwing a knowing glance to Shem, who was frowning with irritation, and at their lead, several others at the table drew attention too.

"What?" Tallen challenged. "She's a sight for sore eyes, that's all."

Suddenly, a distant table scrambled to its feet, immediately followed by everyone else. Tallen rose up with Zera last. He couldn't see the tiny Master Yoda, but he could hear his distinctive voice rise up through the crowd.

"Aligned tonight, the stars are. To the Force, a great blessing bestowed upon. Encourage all to meditate on the rooftops this night, I do. Come see, come, come."

Many students were finished with their meals, but some abandoned their hot meals without question. Tallen stuffed in a few more bites, but when he looked up, Zera had vanished.

 **~RR~**

Tallen meditated on the balcony, letting the night air grace his cheeks and the hum of a thousand moving vessels beneath him in the big city sooth him. He let the Force weave through his chest, through his lungs, through his veins. Life was very simple in a trance, time was slow and the Force made everything make sense. He was called to a higher purpose. He had been training for that purpose for the better half of his life. He was suited for nothing more, nothing less.

He couldn't help but feel a little proud, almost pompous for his connection to the Force. He was convinced that his connection was unique, that he and Zera understood it better than most. It was an arrogance, he knew, but it still helped his mindset to focus.

Tallen took a wayward glance to her, and he spotted her taking one at him, even though she had purposely sat in the corner farthest from him. It was something that didn't escape Anakin's notice.

Tallen heard him sigh in frustration.

"Tal," Anakin huffed. "Did you develop feelings for Zera?"

Tallen acted natural quickly, concentrating back on his mediation with fervor.

"It's nothing."

Anakin looked to their other classmate, Furlor-Ah, who shrugged like she wanted to stay out of it.

"You can speak freely," Anakin pressed. "I won't repeat it."

"I'm ignoring you," Tallen retorted.

"Meditation achieved best, when closed, your mouth is!" Yoda sputtered to them from the front.

Anakin recoiled, but remained undeterred.

"Look," Anakin went on. "Master Kenobi says it's only natural. That Jedi are encouraged to have compassion which is a path to love. I take it we are just discouraged from acting on it because not all Jedi can have control over their feelings, and they don't want to take that risk on a larger scale. I think if one is powerful enough, you can accomplish anything."

Furlor-Ah guffawed her doubt in a scoffing way.

"It sounds way too big a gamble to me," she hissed in matter-of-factly. "Why mess with such a risk? The balance of the Force is too delicate to tamper with that way. We have to respect it."

"Master Windu tampered and succeeded," Anakin argued, and Tallen began to wonder of his passion. Perhaps there was someone on his mind as well? "I've seen the way Master Kenobi looks at a certain woman. I think what they don't tell you is that you have to obtain the Master rank before you can toy with such ideas. It makes a certain amount of sense-"

Suddenly, a cane smacked onto Anakin's shoulder, and Anakin jumped in surprise. Master Yoda stood before him, glaring.

"The time for talking, this is not," he reminded. Anakin nodded and resumed his meditation stance.

Tallen closed his eyes and let himself melt into a deep trance of thought, furrowing his brow with his heavy-handed agreement. He had always agreed with Anakin, though he could sometimes be overly emotional and tempered, his opinions were usually right on par with his own. There wasn't much they didn't have a similar opinion on. Anakin was right. It made sense.

 **~RR~**

 **Please review.  
Signed,  
-RedRogue**


	4. Chapter 4: The Duel

**Chapter 4: The Duel**

 **~RR~**

The next day, Tallen walked with Zera to their first class, on a bright a sunny day through the main halls. From a distance, they could see all of their classmates gathered around something, and Zera and Tallen could only look to one another with curiosity before running to see what the commotion was about. A few other students giggled and pointed at them when they arrived, which only prompted further confusion.

"I sense something," Zera furrowed her brow anxiously. "I don't know what, but I think it has something to do with me."

Tallen grew serious.

"Wait here," he commanded with an authoritative arm. He parted his way through the crowd as Zera lingered behind.

"What's going on?" Tallen demanded to know. Shem, the classmate in front and center, held a small handheld tablet, with some files marking the screen. He turned it to show Tallen.

"My Master granted me special access to the Initiate files," Shem boasted with his head held high.

A closer look at the screen, and Tallen could now see it was a picture of Zera of when she first arrived at the Temple.

"I didn't know they plucked up your friend Zera from the _pleasure_ district in the Outer Rim… When were you going to tell us she was a slave?"

A few more laughs were heard, and Shem smiled cockily. Tallen was visibly fuming. That stupid grin on his face, taunting him. Tallen could feel the burning in his chest, growing until he wanted to explode.

Calmly, Tallen motioned for Shem to give him the tablet. Shem seemed hesitant at first, but after Tallen nodded reassuringly, gesturing some more, Shem slowly handed it over. The moment that the tablet left the hold of Shem's fingertips, Tallen threw a swing square into Shem's eye.

Shem fell backward with a loud crash, even though a gasping hush swept the gathered crowd. Tallen then lifted the tablet with both hands, and brought it crashing down onto his knee, causing it to shatter in half. Shem jumped back in surprise, looking at Tallen incredulously.

"Your access has been revoked," Tallen explained, tossing the two broken pieces onto Shem's torso. The two pieces sparked and smoked in protest on the floor.

"What did you do that for?" Shem huffed, holding his hurt eye. "Sheesh, I was only teasing, Tallen! Calm yourself!"

"You will not speak of this ever again," Tallen warned, then turned to the small gathered crowd. "This is your fellow classmate and I will not stand for her being demeaned."

Tallen roughly pushed past the last remaining students in his way and headed back for Zera waiting for him in the distance.

"What was that all about?" Zera asked with bewilderment.

"Nothing," Tallen lied, eyeing Shem from across the hall.

In the distance, Master Shaak Ti was barreling down a hallway towards them, and the students dispersed into the classroom quickly. Tallen stood still. He knew she was marching for him.

"You," she said with a stern voice and a finger pointed at his nose. "Go immediately to the Detention Hall. Lots more chores for you today. Someday, you'll actually get to have a lesson with me, Mister Dantes."

 **~RR~**

Tallen scrubbed at the droids in the dark underground of the Temple tunnels, where the droids would go to power down for the night. He was on his sixth droid, and he had fourteen more to do before he was allowed to return to training, return to his friends, or even get food.

He despised this tedious work, as the Jedi Master clearly could afford to buy a droid wash system, but kept this medieval way of cleaning their robotics slaves in order to 'build character' for the more tempestuous students like himself. He knew they would be checking every nook and cranny on their metal for any sign of a spot he missed, or they would add to the number of droids he had to clean, so he had to be sure he was thorough.

He sensed him before he was present. It was his Master, Plo Koon. Tallen paused in his furious scrubbing, to hide his face in embarrassment of being caught down here again.

Master Koon grabbed a nearby crate and turned it over in order to take a seat down on it. Tallen could hear his long, unnatural breath underneath his mask, letting the silence dominate the room for a moment before he spoke.

"We've had this conversation many times before."

Tallen didn't speak, just waited for his Master to go on.

"Do you remember when you were a Youngling, and you had such a clear disdain for being at the Temple that no Master would take you as a Padawan?"

"They were going to reassign me to the Service Corps.," Tallen hotly replied through his shame.

"That's it…" Master Koon nodded as if remembering for himself, though Tallen knew him well enough to know that this was a ruse he played at to lure him into a conversation. He fell for it every time.

"Do you remember why?"

Tallen hung his head. This was a conversation they had at least four times a year. Usually, in this exact spot.

"They said I was unfit for the Jedi Path," Tallen rattled off with impatience, going back to his scrubbing with a renewed sense of vigor. "But you said I had too much potential to waste."

"They said you were too arrogant," Master Koon corrected, and even though Tallen couldn't see his face through his breathing apparatus, he could sense his smiling. "Too angry. You threw a tantrum when Master Windu chose Zera and not you. You made it extremely known that being Force sensitive was a curse to you, and that the Temple was the last place you wanted to be. It seemed obvious to assume you would wander the darker path. But you know why I chose you."

Tallen froze. Master Koon reached over and grabbed the scrubbing towel out of his hands and put it back into the wash bucket. Tallen rolled his eyes and clenched his fists again.

"You said that 'to give me up to the groundskeepers without at least a try at making you see the benefits of balance would have been an awful waste'."

"Yes, Tallen," Plo Koon nodded. "You know the story well enough by now. I heard what you did today, in defense of your friend. When will you learn that hurting others will not take away your own hurt?"

Tallen leaned his head onto the metal of the astro droid for support, and went silent once again. Master Koon stood and motioned for Tallen to follow him.

"Come along. You are dismissed from detention for the day."

Tallen looked to his Master with surprise, but didn't question it. He just left with him before he could change his mind.

 **~RR~**

Tallen ran through the courtyard in search of Zera, but hadn't been able to find her all morning. He finally spotted her on the roof of the astronomy building, in the meditation area. Usually, this area was filled with other Padawans meditating together in silence, but for once the scenic spot was empty save for Zera. Tallen guessed everyone else must be knee-deep in books studying, it being close to the end of year testings.

"Something's on your mind," Tallen could easily assume. She peeked open her eyes for a moment, before sighing audibly and gathering herself to stand.

"I have to duel with Anakin later today," Zera informed. "Why would they match me against the Chosen One? I am way out of my league and I'll only embarrass myself."

She gripped her forehead in frustration, and Tallen immediately put her hand down from her face.

"Why wouldn't it be you?" Tallen countered. "You practice your trainings about a thousand times a day. I think Anakin should be the one scared, not you."

Zera looked to Tallen with grateful eyes, the edges of her serious mouth poking out to a smile, something she didn't easily give out.

Zera held her training saber loosely in her grasp, twirling it to get reacquainted with the weight. Anakin smiled tauntingly at her, his confidence purposefully intimidating her. She kept her fade straight, devoid of expression, and concentrated on the duel. Many eyes watched with full attention from the area seating, some leaning forward with interest and some eating nonchalantly. Zera could swear she saw credits get passed between one pair. Even her own Master had shown up to watch, his brow furrowed in concentration. Tallen looked very anxious, which is exactly how she felt.

She felt the sweat gathering in her palms around the hilt of the saber. These were Level Three training sabers, the most dangerous kind, and she was well aware that they would hurt greatly if they connected. She waited for Master Kenobi's word to fight. She tried to focus herself, feeling the Force drifting in the air around her, filling her lungs as she breathed it in.

She felt Anakin move to strike before he even reached for his lightsaber. She blocked him with ease, as defense had always been her strongest point. But he left no opening for attack himself. She parried and kept her eyes open, jumping back when she had to, going in for the lunges when she saw them.

But he was fast, and she was quickly realizing that there was something surrounding him that was inhibiting her judgment. An aura of projected confusion, almost like the weight she felt when a Sith Inquisitor was near.

He was started to overwhelm her and panic began to poke at her brain. She fought to keep it away, to maintain her center, but he was so fast…

Tallen bit his nails with worry, watching Anakin come at Zera like was truly attempting to kill her. Surely, this wasn't how the duels were supposed to be held. Surely, Anakin was going at this all wrong, taking it a bit too far. The intent in his eyes was terrifying, and Tallen knew those Level Threes could do some real harm to Zera. Anakin was starting to yell as he hammered down strike after strike on Zera, and it was all she could do to defend herself.

Until, Anakin finally connected with her, and Zera wailed out in pain. Through her scream, Tallen flew to his feet, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"ZERA!"

A hush fell over the crowd. Every Master in the room exchanged glances at one another, as if having important conversations with their eyes. Tallen began to regret his dramatic reaction, but still indignantly persisted as Zera did not rise from the floor, angrily shoving his way through the crowd.

Master Koon rushed to his Padawan, pushing on his shoulders to try and get him to sit back down in a seat, but Tallen wouldn't have it.

"Why do you coerce your students into hurting another student—this is ludicrous!" Tallen yelled.

"Tallen, sit down," Plo Koon said gently.

"Can't you see how ridiculous this is!" Tallen insisted, and now Master Koon stepped in front of him authoritatively.

"Tallen Dantes, SIT. DOWN."

Tallen slowly relaxed his white knuckled fists, feeling his Master inducing a calming effect over him, one of his specialties.

Tallen finally glanced around the room, realizing all eyes were on him. He locked gazes with Zera, who was bleeding purple blood from the strike to the head, but was holding a cloth to the wound, surrounded by medics. She never looked more concerned before.

* * *

 **Please review.**

 **-RedRogue**


	5. Chapter 5: The Crystal Caves

**Chapter 5: The Crystal Caves**

 **~RR~**

The next day, Tallen walked the usual route down the long marble halls of the temple, the morning sun streaming in through the massive pillars, and kept his eye out for Zera. He hadn't been allowed to see her since the duel, where she was rushed off to hospice and he was ordered straight to bed.

It was obvious to him with in the first five minutes of waiting for her at their usual spot that she wasn't joining him today. For a moment, Tallen wondered if this meant they had kept her in the hospice overnight, but after spotting her rushing quickly across the courtyard alone, he realized she was purposefully avoiding him.

Tallen rushed to catch up with Zera, who had more than likely sensed his presence by now and was storming away in a walk so quick that bordered a jog.

"Zera, wait!" Tallen ordered.

She did not falter speed.

"Zera, please, just listen!" Tallen begged now.

She stopped, and whirled around in a manner more furious than he had seen in her before, her robes fanning out to catch up with her abrupt movement.

"What was that yesterday, Tallen?" she demanded. "You embarrassed me in front of my master!"

"I know," Tallen lowered his gaze in shame. "I was worried."

Zera huffed in frustration.

"Do you genuinely believe that they would allow us to get irrevocably hurt? Does your ignorance know no bounds?"

"They give us too much leeway!" Tallen defended, shaking his head. "I'm a walking testament to that!"

"Then do you trust Anakin? Do you trust the _Masters_?"

Tallen stepped near, grabbing at her hand with his.

"I don't trust anyone but you."

Zera immediately shook his hold off of her, backing away. She shook her head incredulously, fully bewildered by how he could possibly say such things.

"Perhaps everyone is right, Tallen," Zera snapped. "And we are just getting too close."

She raged off, her usually lightfooted steps hammering down in the empty halls in pounding echoes.

 **~RR~**

Zera stood on one foot, palms together, trying her best to meditate while keeping her balance. Her Master watched closely while he relaxed in a nearby chair, watching the sun go down while he read from a tablet.

"Master," Zera peeked open an eye to look to him. "We are due to go to the Crystal Caves soon."

"Yes," Master Windu agreed with a nod, not looking up from his reading.

"I have yearned to ask, my Master, forgive me… Being the sole student of Vaapad, I was kind of hoping I might have permission to forego the Cave Trial and be earn a purple Hurrikaine crystal like yours instead."

Master Windu finally put his tablet down to look her sternly in the eye, as seemed to be the only way he was able to look.

"A Jedi cannot forego the Cave Trial. Every Learner must go through it."

Zera let her breath go in a sigh, but tried her best from showing her disappointment. Not only did she dread this trial above all others to begin with, but being at odds with her best friend right now wasn't helping her apprehensions toward it.

Master Windu motioned for her to come over to him. She rushed immediately, earnestly, to his side, and knelt before him with respect.

"Vaapad makes us unique to all Jedi, and it is just as much a curse as it is an achievement. We bear emotions that other Jedi are not allowed. We venture close to the Dark Side but do not let it truly touch us. The Cave Trial makes a Jedi face the flaws within themselves, so I say, we need this test more than anyone. You will earn whatever crystal you were meant for. Perhaps one day, you will earn a Hurrikaine crystal too."

"I believe that I will, Master," Zera stated optimistically. Master Windu nodded.

"We shall see." Master Windu shifted in his seat, swiping to another page in his tablet with another heavy sigh. "Do you remember when we had that discussion about what Shatterpoints were?"

Zera let her foot fall to firmly stand on both feet. She had a feeling of what he would say next and braced herself.

"Yes, Master…"

"Keep a watch on yourself, for I fear he may become yours."

Zera frowned at the notion, the fact that he didn't even need to say his name for her know who he was speaking of. Mace Windu always went to the heart of things, never sparing time for words that needn't be said. His voice was always stern, reprimanding, bordering anger. It cut her like a knife at times like this. She lifted herself back to one foot, teetering for a moment before standing sharply in perfect balance, showing her focus was only on one thing.

"I will never let that happen, My Master."

 **~RR~**

There was an air of silence among the students as they sat in the seats of the transit ship. Tallen knew they were all just as nervous as he was. Their entire age class was there, Anakin, Furloh-ah, Shem, and of course Zera, who purposefully sat on the other end of the ship. She had gone an entire week avoiding him, and he didn't expect it to let up anytime soon. She had a renewed fervor in her training, keeping to the sparring areas and the libraries. If he tried to join her, their conversation was civil but short, just enough time to gather her things and leave him.

Tallen sighed in frustration, knowing in his heart that this was a phase that would eventually pass. He figured she had to be missing him just as much as he was missing her. She would never truly leave him… would she?

They caught eyes through the distance, and for just a moment, she passed him a reassuring half-smile.

No, she would never.

 **~RR~**

After Master Yoda explained to them about the nature of the Cave Trial, and the time sensitive nature of the test, Anakin boldly went into the darkened ice door of the Crystal caves first. Not one to be outdone, Tallen followed close behind.

Zera let all others enter before Yoda gave her an encouraging nod, and she trailed slowly in. The cave emitted a natural light once inside, and all of the crystals glowed and glistened, making Zera gasp in surprise. She thought she might have trouble spotting a crystal, much less the one that would call to her… but she never expected there would be such an abundance of them, dancing overhead and gleaming underfoot.

Master Yoda had warned that the crystals would sense the Padawans just as much as they would sense the crystals, and know what flaws they would have to overcome in order to earn them.

Zera was usually a calm, level headed person, but couldn't help but feel the stress of the time ticking by. She heard another Padawan already spotting theirs and starting the climb up a large cliffside to reach it.

That's when she heard it. A distance hum, echoing down a tiny, dark tunnel.

"Did you hear that?" she grabbed at Anakin for him to stop. He went silent, trying to listen, but after a moment shook his head.

"Maybe it's only meant for you to hear," he offered, then moved on. Zera looked at the small, ominous tunnel, and saw that it was only wide enough for one person, and thin enough to break underneath her. She was going to have to go solo.

She searched her feeling inward, of why the test would be about this. She knew she was perfectly capable of being by herself. In fact, as she was very likely the last of her kind, going it alone was all she ever knew.

She turned pensively and spotted Tallen, staring downward at a clear patch of ice under his feet.

"What is it, Tallen?" she heard Furloh-ah stop to ask.

"This ice barrier is too thick to get through without help, and who knows how far down the fall will be. My crystal needs me to trust someone else enough to get to it."

Tallen searched for Zera's gaze, she could feel it. She knew she was being faced with a decision. She stared into the darkened little tunnel, knowing what she should do. She needed to leave Tallen behind, let him work out things for himself. It's what was necessary, to find himself without her. So, why couldn't she bring herself to do it?

Zera turned on her heel and went back to Tallen, and without a word on the matter, bent down to put her hands on the barrier, closing her eyes to focus.

Tallen didn't question it, just stood by her side and joined her, pressing his hands near to hers. He could feel the cracks growing, and the ground shifting underneath. Finally, one final crunching sound and the barrier broke through, big enough for both of them to come crashing down.

Fortunately, a snowbank broke their fall with a cloud of flakes exploding around them. Zera immediately stood up and started dusting herself off, her annoyance clear on her face.

"It wasn't supposed to take both of us down!" she complained loudly. "Now what am I going to do! This is all your fault!"

Tallen looked upward at the hole they fell through sensing that all the other Padawans had left. A smug smile started to grow on his mouth.

"You're right, it is all my fault. How else was I going to get you alone long enough to sort this out?"

Zera gasped in disbelief, backing away.

"You tricked me!"

Tallen laughed out loud, amusement winning out over remorse.

"A little."

"You've gone too far, Tallen," Zera waved her hand for emphasis. "This is neither the time, nor the place! We need to get our crystals and get out before the door seals us in, do you understand that?!"

Tallen shrugged his shoulders passively.

"Eh, it's not the worst."

Zera could hardly contain her incredulous emotions anymore.

"How can you say that?" she spat out so hard that some of her hair fell out of her Padawan ponytail. She looked pretty when she was angry, though Tallen could sense her feeling of confusion over rage. Tallen shook his head and smiled at her like she was too naïve to comprehend. He wanted to tell her that he didn't really care about any of it, not the crystals or the Trials, that it all came second to her. He knew that he couldn't dare. He couldn't risk losing her. She was important to him, and being a Jedi was too important to her.

Tallen began to walk away, trying to get his head back into finding his crystal, but still couldn't shake the feeling that this was an opportune moment for something he might never have again. A moment he hated to see go to waste. As they walked onward through the glittering archways, he decided to go for it.

"Zera?" he started, his heart pounding through his nerves. He walked backwards to face her as they traveled. "Do you remember when we were in the marketplace when we were younger, and you kissed me and I told you never to do that again?"

Zera was glaring now.

"Don't say it, Tallen," Zera droned, shaking her head.

Tallen laughed and turned back around to walk straight.

"Maybe I was wrong."

Zera hesitated, hating the situation she found herself in, but eventually followed onward.

 **Please review.**

 **-RedRogue**


	6. Chapter 6: The Risk of Failure

**Chapter 6: The Risk of Failure**

 **~RR~**

Zera tried to keep her angered emotions in check as she watched Tallen scaling a large icy cliffside to reach a ledge above. Even from afar and through the cold of the caves, she could see the sweat forming on his brow, and the shaking strain of the muscles in his arms. He had eyes on a light that was peeking through above them so she had high hopes that it might lead to a way out of this cavern.

"I just can't believe you, Tallen," she continued ranting on. "I mean, we could talk _any_ time, why would you purposefully obstruct my mission- …"

"And you still don't get it…" Tallen snickered under his breath with amusement.

Zera huffed down to sit on a nearby boulder. How did he expect this to turn out? Surely, their Masters would sense their every move, so even if she did feel like…

Zera caught herself before she continued that train of thought.

"Hey, Pointy Ears!" Tallen called from above, smiling downward to her with a large grin so she could sense some smug remark was coming out of his mouth next. "How's the view from down there?!"

"Fed up and quite furious at your antics, Tallen, _that's_ the view from down here—now, do hurry up, it's very cold."

Tallen laughed and continued on, and Zera was glad that he had already turned his eyes away from her before she broke into a wide smile.

Truly, he was her best friend, and she could never stay mad at him for anything. It was his kind eyes, those large, determined blue ones that always brought her comfort. No one would ever understand her like he would, and as such, he could probably already sense her harsh emotions subsiding.

Deep down, she had a feeling the crystal that she was meant for was not in this cave anyway.

Suddenly, a large crashing sound was heard, and Zera looked just in time to see Shem Force Pushing his way through a wall near her.

"Ugh, of course," Shem huffed at the sight of the large dead end cavern. He eyed Zera cautiously, as if suspicious she might attack him. "Zera? Then, Tallen is nearby, I assume?"

Zera motioned upward at the redheaded boy, who was already watching them closely. Tallen saluted when Shem saw him, showing his expression as cold and serious, pausing in his climb.

Shem looked antsy, looking around for an alternate means out than what was seemingly offered.

"You don't think the Masters would actually abandon us in here, would they?" Shem put in, poking around at some rocks to Zera's left. "I mean, every Apprentice has made it through this trail alive, right?"

"I know about as much as you, Shem, we're in the same year," Zera replied, eyeing the cliff face for how she would climb it next, as soon as Tallen gave word.

"In the same year, but we aren't the same, let's make that understood," Shem corrected, shaking his head firmly. He had a foreign look in his eye, Zera noticed. It was a look that made her uneasy. "Tallen can destroy tablets and all the files he wants, but everyone still knows what you are."

Zera narrowed her eyes at him with distaste, suddenly giving him her full attention.

"We are all equals under the Temple roof, Shem."

"Your utopian way of thinking is beautiful but naïve, as I find most women to be," Shem countered pompously.

"Seems safe to say you don't spend much time around women," Zera countered.

"I just like to laugh at the irony of it all," Shem scoffed. "Especially after your duel with Anakin last week. Whether you had lived a life as a slave or as a Jedi, both paths seemed destined to put you on your back."

 **~RR~**

Master Yoda paced, the tiny claws on his three-toed feet clicking on the marble floor of the temple with every step. In front of him sat three ashamed Padawans: Shem, who was nursing a fat lip with a towel, Zera, who rubbed her shredded hands that had a mix of foreign red blood and her own purple blood streaming down her knuckles, and Tallen, who had a black eye but acted as if it didn't bother him in the least.

"Speak, one of you must."

Shem, Zera, and Tallen exchanged wayward looks, but no one spoke.

"We will ask one more time," Master Windu said from the shadowed corner of the room, entered as if out of nowhere. Zera hid her face, more shame crashing over her. "What exactly happened in there?"

"We fell off a cliffside," Shem offered, looking at the other Padawans hopefully. "I was clumsy and I brought them down with me."

Zera wiped Shem's blood off her hands onto her pants leg, hoping the Masters hadn't seen the red already.

"Are you all going with this version of the story?" Master Windu asked sharply, looking at Zera and Tallen each in the eye in turn. Tallen nodded in reply, but Zera kept her head down, frozen.

Master Windu sighed and waved them off.

"Then get to detention, all of you."

"But it's after curfew!" Zera protested.

Master Windu stared her down, his brow wrinkling in the center as he steamed in a calmed anger. He stepped closer, and Zera cowered slightly.

"It is you I am disappointed with most of all," he informed curtly. "Do not press further."

Zera didn't dare stay in his presence a moment longer, and scurried out first while the others closely followed.

Mace Windu sighed after his Padawan had left, and went back to his place in the shadows of the Council Chamber, directing his attention to the busy traffic outside the window. Yoda, his steps being much smaller, took a few moments to join him.

"Tallen is to blame for this somehow, I sense it. He is a negative influence on my apprentice," he stated. "I fear he nurtures a violent side. He is becoming a weakness, as she is becoming his."

"Trust in her, you do not?" Yoda asked, his voice raising in a gentle surprise.

"Allow me to rephrase. It is him, I do not trust. Perhaps we never should have let Master Koon take him on as an apprentice."

"Trust in him, _always_ have you not. Yet shown the exact same qualities, Shem has, true?"

"Shem is different somehow. I feel he says harsh words in a means to mirror and exploit fear. I sense his intention is to make others stronger, though misinformed, his intentions remain pure. Tallen, there is something else I sense. Much like Skywalker, I fear what he may be capable of."

Yoda nodded, closing his eyes to level himself in concentration.

"Disagree, I do," Yoda put in boldly, making Mace raise his eyebrows and look down at the little creature in surprise.

"Very young, they still are," Yoda went on. "Still in an emotional flux, yes?"

"I would stop it now before it gets any worse."

"Your student, she is- your choice, therefore. But the time to worry, I say, now is not."

 **~RR~**

Some weeks later, Zera sat on a nearby stone step to observe Anakin practice his lightsaber technique with Master Kenobi. She took vigorous notes and squinted to see better in the closing darkness of the sunset. Occasionally, when Anakin knew he had executed a move quite perfectly, he would look to her in the bleacher stairs and wink.

He was taunting her and it only fueled her desire to not be defeated by him again. She was determined. Soon, Tallen joined her, complaining of nothing else better to do, but she was grateful for his company, and notes to contribute for the things she sometimes missed.

Soon, more girls joined, but Zera knew they were of different intentions than her, and was annoyed that they sometimes blocked her eyesight.

"I think you should let it go," Tallen complained again, hoping to show her a new moon or something he had discovered in Astronomy but she insisted on staying. "What will you gain by being the best fighter anyway? It's not like we are in any real danger in these walls."

"I can't let it go, Tallen," Zera argued, shaking her head as she drew a picture of Obi Wan and his perfect opening defensive stance. "Shem is right. I was doomed to slavery if I hadn't been brought here. My species was eradicated without standing a chance. All because we stupidly thought if we would keep our heads down that would be left alone to our peaceful existence. I won't let that happen to me. I have to survive no matter what."

"You are becoming obsessive," Tallen kicked dirt off the step below with indignance.

"You can spend your time elsewhere if you wanted," Zera countered sharply. "My race's continuance is first priority for me."

Tallen huffed in frustration, this time letting a small ripple of the Force shove the dirt into a small cloud. The Bothan girl sitting two levels below turned around to throw him an annoyed glare, some of her fur standing on its ends. At least, he assumed it was a girl. Bothans were so tough to distinguish.

"So," Tallen went on to Zera. "When are you going to tell your Master that the Kyber Crystal you grabbed wasn't one that called to you?"

Zera whirled around with fury, shushing him harshly.

"Tallen, please!" she implored. "I'm still trying to figure that out, but I would appreciate it if you didn't advertise it to _every_ _star system_ in the meantime!"

Tallen sighed loudly and rested his chin in his hands. Zera's shame in failure of the duel, not to mention failure in the Crystal Caves, was obviously getting to her. He wanted to be supportive, but this tough, study-fanatical Zera was undesirable to be around. How was he going to get the old Zera back? Tallen thought about the end of term coming up, and how this was only going to get worse as time passed.

"I just down understand it," Zera sounded like she was near tears. "Master Windu said one would call to me. Everyone else found a crystal that called to them. Why did I only hear silence? Why? What's wrong with me? Am I not meant to be a Jedi?"

Zera rubbed her forehead in both of her hands, rubbing her two sets of eyebrows in frustration.

"I have to be a Jedi alongside you, Tallen. I have to…"

Tallen sat up straight again when he came to a horrifying conclusion. Would the Masters expel her or hold her back if she didn't pass? Would he be stuck in this pit alone while they sent her off to the groundskeepers?

Tallen rose to his feet very suddenly. She didn't even notice him leaving.

"Master Kenobi!" Zera called out instead. "May you show us that stance once more?"

"Zera, why don't you step in the arena and try it yourself?" Master Kenobi laughed, waving her downward. "I certainly think you've done enough observing."

Tallen lingered by the doorway, eyeing Anakin with an unwavering gaze as Anakin watched Zera walk down to join them. Tallen stayed long enough to see him correct her stance with his body behind her, his hands trailing her arms to move them, whispering something in her ear, before he decided he'd had enough and stormed out the door.

Zera looked for Tallen at lunch the next day, but he was nowhere to be found. A small pang of guilt stabbing at her for being so harsh to him yesterday. She set her tray down in front of Anakin and Fur-Lo-Ah, and took notice that Shem was starting to take his lunch elsewhere. In fact, there seemed to be several of their small troop missing.

"Where is Tallen?" Zera asked Anakin, who she was starting to become quite close with after all their practices together.

"Tallen's been in the library since yesterday," Anakin explained.

"The _library_?" Zera repeated with shock. "Not the Map Room?"

"I know!" Anakin laughed, and Fur-Lo-Ah giggled too. Zera waited for them to die down, before asking the dreaded question, one she already knew the answer to.

"And Drake…?"

"He didn't pass the Crystal Trial."

Zera cowered at his words like she had been punched in the chest.

"What happened to him?" Zera pressed. Anakin shrugged with a smug look on his face.

"Don't know… _I_ passed."

Fur-Lo-Ah leaned close to Zera with excitement flaring in her eyes.

"Mine changed color when I put it in a hilt chamber, did yours?"

Zera panicked and stood up again to leave, not wanting to incriminate herself with further questions.

"Um… not exactly…" she diverted. "Excuse me."

Zera dumped her full lunch in the garbage chute, suddenly no longer with an appetite.

 **~RR~**

As soon as she stepped foot out the door of the Lunch Hall, she was immediately grabbed at and violently pushed in another direction.

"Quickly!" Tallen commanded near her ear in a harsh whisper. "Master Windu is in another Council trip and Master Koon is busy in mechanics. Now's our only chance."

"Tallen!" Zera exclaimed. "What are you talking about? Our only chance for what?"

"To go to Hurrikane and find you your saber crystal."

Zera shook out of his hold and turned to face him with incredulousness.

"Tallen, are you mad?!" she was practically spitted and Tallen could only roll his eyes. Of course, Zera would have a hard time bending the rules, even if her whole Jedi career was at stake. It was so typical.

"No one will notice we're gone, Zera," Tallen reasoned. "And if you fail at this trial, then I will fail with you. Do you really want to take down both of us because you didn't want to take one little extra risk?

Zera folded her arms and sighed, assessing her options.

"And how am I supposed to explain where I got a purple crystal, Hothead?" she asked snidely.

Tallen shrugged and smiled.

"Tell your Master you earned it, Pointy Ears."

* * *

 **Please review.**

 **-RedRogue**


	7. Chapter 7: The First Dream

**Chapter 7:**

 **~RR~**

Zera looked up at the yellow standard military issue aircraft, given to the Jedi as an offer of thanks from the planet Naboo for a recent victory. Tallen was already inside, fiddling with some wires, and waving at her to hurry up.

She knew that this was a moment. One of those crossroads in life where she was going to have to make a choice…

 **~RR~**

 _It was a clear day, a sun shining on the planet surface, though the Arabush trees blocked the view of the sky overhead. Stick and leaves blanketed the ground underfoot, crunching under their feet. The man across from her was masked, his eyes darkened and tired, but she would still recognize those eyes anywhere, that same blood-red hair hanging in his face, much more grown out than she was used to. She felt the rage within her build as he drew near._

 _Their lightsaber blows clashed loudly with every strike, sparks flying into the air and sizzling on the leaves below._

 _With a quick movement, Zera kicked him in the lower stomach with a strong Force push, sending him flying and skidding into the ground below. With a raging yell, she launched herself over him, their blades spitting in protest, as she focused the Force to give her strength to drive the blade closer to his face… so close he had to turn his cheek, she wanted to kill him, she felt the call of the Dark, the familiar smoky cloud in her brain…_ Kill him _, it said…._ Kill him now and end the suffering _…_

 **~RR~**

Zera woke up with a loud gasp, panting in fear as her main heart raced. She sat up quickly and called out for him in the darkness.

"TALLEN!"

"Woah!" Tallen cried in concern, ripping the cockpit seatbelt off himself to race back to her side. "Zera, calm down. What's going on?"

Where could she begin? Suddenly dread began to fill her, as she stared into his worried eyes. Surely, she couldn't tell him what she had just seen. It was just a dream, right? She was too young of a student to be getting Force Visions. It was just stress, was all it was. It had to be the stress.

Zera touched Tallen's face, her eyes filling with water. Tallen grabbed at her hand on his face immediately, welcoming her touch. It calmed her almost instantly. She came upon a comforting realization, that there was no way, under no circumstance, where she could ever be capable of doing that to him. Not Tallen, not in any lifetime.

She didn't have to say anything, and somehow he already knew. He held her against his chest, gently stroking her hair until her breathing slowed to a normal pace.

"Sometimes I wonder, why me?" Zera confessed softly. "Why was I chosen to be his sole student of Vaapad? Why he thinks I'm capable of carrying such a fragile balance between Light and Dark? I feel the call to it every day, Tallen. It whispers. So easily, I could slip. The line is so clear. So close."

She felt Tallen gulp, taking a breath of his own.

"That's just it, Zera," he replied just as softly. "The line is not so clear to all of us."

Zera digested this concept for a moment, realizing just how wise Tallen could be when he wanted. She let out a sigh.

"I never told you this," Tallen went on. "But the day after you got chosen by Master Windu, I went to the Upper Chamber and I begged him to choose me instead. I had told myself that Mace Windu was the only man with something worthy to teach me. The only man who seems to get the value of the raging side, who had my same principles of the Force. It baffled me why he wouldn't choose me, when I was so much like him. I raised my voice to them. And right in the middle of a sentence, I realized exactly why… It's balance. Balance is necessary, it's the whole concept of the Force. Now I couldn't be more grateful for Master Koon and his patience. He's actually the one who lent us this ship."

Zera chuckled at this, and Tallen looked down to her with a smile. She threw her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you, Tallen," Zera muffled quietly.

"Anytime," Tallen grinned, perfectly content to be holding her for as long as she needed.

 **~RR~**

Tallen touched down on the grey, rocky planet, having spent some good time just trying to find a surface flat enough to land a ship on. Zera tested the atmosphere before opening the ramp, and informed Tallen that the oxygen levels, though a bit on the heavy side, where sufficient for human breathing. Tallen could tell that Zera was thriving in this level of air, as her species actually could thrive on very little oxygen for considerable amounts of time.

"It's pretty empty here, isn't it?" Tallen commented as they walked, being very aware of every stone he placed his foot on. Zera was being uncharacteristically zealous, and practically skipping onward. She was surefooted on every rock, jumping so light on her feet that stones barely moved under her weight. Tallen began to doubt that she bore any weight on them at all, or if this was some side-effect of her alien genetics that he was supposed to learn about in foreign studies or biology class.

"Hurry up, Tallen!" she waved him on.

Tallen looked uneasily at the cliffside on their right, and gulped in fear as he realized that he couldn't see where the bottom of it was. Zera seemed just fine with this knowledge, even exploiting it as she practically danced along the edge.

"Zera, slow down," Tallen ordered nervously. He didn't like that he was being the cautious one for the first time in their history, yet something was nagging at his brain, as if warning him to keep an eye out for was about to happen. Something about this vast, empty planet was making him upset, almost angry. There was a cloud in his mind, and he didn't like it.

Tallen looked down at his feet when another rock gave way under his foot, only this time, he realized that the rock had a distinguishable crystal embedded in it.

Then the crystal _blinked_.

Tallen screamed out in terror and jumped away, with Zera whipped around to take notice, just as the rock creature rose from its place in the ground, slowly, crunching its joints around to make a two legged shaped being, with two arms and a skinny, cross-shaped face. Soon, another rose up with it, and then a third, all quietly staring at the two Padawans blankly.

One of them went up to Tallen, staring with its empty crystal eyes boring into him. It reached a long skinny arm to him, reaching out with long fingers to his Jedi robes. Tallen froze. It pointed to Tallen's lightsaber, and Tallen then looked to Zera for answers.

"Give him your lightsaber, Tallen," Zera commanded.

"But it's just a training saber," Tallen protested.

"Give it over!" she shot out.

Tallen held it out hesitantly, slowly, putting the standard hilt into the creature's stone palms. Zera also willingly tried to hand over her own saber, but they ignored her. In fact, they didn't even move at all.

"What now?" Tallen asked, and Zera shrugged. One of the rock creatures near Tallen reached out to him, and put his finger on Tallen's mouth, much to his confusion and discomfort.

Suddenly Zera was on her tiptoes, gazing over the vast, stone terrain in a renewed interest.

"Do you hear that?" she asked. "There's a humming…"

Tallen still looked to the creatures with distrust, eyeing them for any sudden moves.

"I don't hear anything, Zera," he countered.

Zera crept slowly, cautiously away from the rock giant, under his unwavering gaze. Zera pointed in the direction she was going, trying to get him to understand. The rock creature did not blink, did not even move, just stood there, as if not even alive at all.

Zera waved at Tallen to follow her, and he apprehensively obeyed, scooting himself away from the hand of the giant with every bit of care he could.

Zera was already running, and faster than Tallen could ever hope to catch up to.

"Zera, wait!" Tallen called after her.

For some reason, Tallen felt the call to look back, and noticed that every single rock creature had vanished from sight. He was thoroughly uncomfortable now.

"Zera, I said wait for me!" Tallen shouted again, not able to hide the fear now. Zera laughed.

"Well, come on, hurry!" Zera chuckled. "Look!"

Zera pointed to a place in the ground where a few stones had formed a cluster into what may have once been a head, but was detached now from the rest of its body and could only be presumed dead.

"It called to me!" Zera squeaked excitedly. "Just like everyone else's did for them! This is my crystal, Tallen! Right here, out in the open!"

"That's great, Pointy Ears," Tallen's voice shook. "Can we go back now?"

"Seriously, what's gotten into you?" Zera couldn't contain her smiles. "At this rate, we could be back before midweek's meeting!"

As Zera force the crystal out from its place in the rock creature's skull, suddenly, the rock split into a small hairline crack. It elongated and grew, splitting the rock she was standing on in half and causing her to stumble. Still it grew, the width of a thumb, then a hand, until it climbed up a cliffside wall to their right.

"This is not good," Tallen observed.

Then, a rock fell out. Then another. Then big ones started to slip and roll.

"Jump!" Tallen ordered, but Zera couldn't hear over the sound of the growing rumble.

Tallen resorted to running up to Zera to push her into the canyon instead, screaming out:

"JUMP!"

The avalanche crashed harder than anything Tallen had ever seen, quaking the ground as they ran. It followed them closely, the dust rising around them like a fog, so fast and sudden that Tallen could barely function, barely see. The rocks came down like a tidal wave, as big as a mountain itself.

But his eyes were on her every move, darting for every possible danger. Her life was of the utmost, instinctively it felt natural to protect hers more than his own. He didn't wonder on it, didn't question it for a moment.

That's why when the stone crashed into her head, it nearly crushed his heart with it. In an instant, he threw his body on hers, screeching in dismay out to the Force, as the wave passed over them.

 **~RR~**

Tallen woke up slowly, focusing on the dark rock above him, with a curious light dancing on it. He sat up to take in his surroundings. A small fire was lit, with black branches burning in the center. Soft dirt was clustered under him, along with his cloak on her like a blanket for additional warmth. His head hurt, but he knew why.

Zera snoozed next to him, cozied up in a ball and a small grin on the edges of her mouth, obviously in a good dream. Tallen tried to rise up without waking her, but he was unsuccessful, and Zera stirred at the rough movement. As she groaned and stretched awake, Tallen noticed that her tunic had been crudely ripped, likely to make the bandage that around her head where she had been hit with the rock.

"How long was I out?" Tallen asked.

"Maybe a day," Zera explained, her voice grim and dreary with sorrow.

"What happened?" he demanded, more frantic now. "Where are we?"

"We're in a cave," Zera went on. She looked to him with amazement, almost fear. "It's like you exploded. I've never seen anyone use the Force like that."

Tallen hung his head, shame washing over him as he guessed what she was going to say next.

"I got us stuck in here though, didn't I?"

Zera frowned grimly, and nodded.

"Unless you can blast us out the way we came in..."

Tallen put his face in his hands, sighing as he came upon the direness of the situation.

"Unfortunately, that fancy trick only seems to comes out under extreme emotional duress."

"I was afraid you might say that," Zera gulped, hunching her shoulders in disappointment.

"So, we're still going to die and I've just made it slower and more painful."

Zera gulped.

"It appears so."

* * *

 **Reviews are very appreciated!  
Signed,  
-RedRogue**


End file.
